English (United States)

Speak Up Helpline

Ask a Question

Ask a Question

If you have an ethics or compliance question or an inquiry regarding a company policy, you can ask anonymously and confidentially.

Example Question:

Can I accept a gift from a vendor our organization is considering doing business with?

Report an Incident

Report an Incident

This system makes it easy to report an incident about workplace issues like financial and auditing concerns, harassment, theft, substance abuse and unsafe conditions.

Click the button below to get started with your report and we'll ask you a few questions about the incident.

Check Status

Check Status

You can check the status of your report or question using the access number and password you created when you submitted the report or question.

Call Us

If you would prefer to speak to someone confidentially, call us and one of our representatives would be happy to assist you.

phone icon 1-800-461-9330 (USA), 0808 189 1053 (UK)

If you are dialing internationally choose your location from the list below for the international number assigned to your country. If your country is not listed click here for additional instructions.

map icon

Please note this is not an emergency service. Contact your local authorities if this is a life threatening issue.

What happens after I make a Report?

PLOS shall ensure that all reports about unethical or illegal conduct are promptly reviewed and investigated by the appropriate PLOS department or external investigator. Appropriate corrective action will be taken, if necessary, and findings may be communicated to the Reporting Party and their supervisor, if appropriate.


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Make sure you are in the right place

Our Speak up PLOS Helpline can be used to report concerns about unethical or illegal conduct in our general operations. Concerns relating to editorial and ethical publishing practices should not be directed here but instead should be directed to the Publication Ethics team, who can be reached via email at pub-ethics@plos.org 
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Letter from Alison Mudditt, PLOS CEO

To our valued staff, vendors, partners, and contributors,

PLOS’ mission is to empower researchers to accelerate progress in science and medicine by proudly leading a transformation in research communication.

Critical to executing this mission with pride is ensuring we always act ethically, whether in dealing with our partners, our contributors, our vendors, or internally with our staff.

To entrench this commitment to ethics, PLOS is partnering with Convercent to provide you, our staff, our contributors, our vendors, and our partners, a safe and secure space where you can speak up about ethical concerns or issues working at, or working with, PLOS. 

Convercent is our 24-hour reporting system where you can confidentially and anonymously submit your concerns. To make a report at any time, go to https://speakup.plos.org/  or call free on  0800 181 2396 (Germany), 1800 852 3912 (Singapore), 0808 189 1053 (UK), or 1-800-461-9330 (USA). Other numbers are available at the website by selecting your current location. 

Your confidential report will be forwarded to the administrators of the platform (the CFO and PLOS Legal Team) instantly and discreetly for review and proper handling. After submission, you can follow the status and anonymously communicate with us about your report.

We recognize that it can be difficult to bring up your concerns, and you can rest assured that any information you provide is stored privately and securely and will be treated with sensitivity and respect.

Please reach out to legal@plos.org if you have any comments or questions!

Alison Mudditt
Chief Executive Officer, PLOS

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